There comes a moment in almost every organizational transformation — even the successful ones — when the program goes off course and leaders need to intervene. As researchers who study transformations, we are often approached by C-suite executives, who ask questions like: What do I do when things go wrong? How can I detect when things may be going off track? Is there a way to use these pivotal moments to my advantage?
Is Your Organizational Transformation Veering Off Course?
Lessons on navigating turning points from surveys of 846 senior leaders and 840 employees involved in transformation programs.
August 28, 2024
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Summary.
Nearly all transformation efforts face significant challenges that can derail the whole program. These can range from exogenous shocks, such as inflation, supply-chain disruption, or political events; operating-model issues, such as the need to change technology, governance, or ways of working; or human dynamics, such as employee confidence in or ownership of the change. How can leaders identify these turning points — and get things back on track? New research, based on surveys of more than 1,600 leaders and employees involved in transformations, suggests that changes in a team’s emotional energy — their collective mood, vibe, and intensity of emotions — often signals that there’s an issue. Organizations that successfully navigate these turning points look for shifts in the team’s emotional energy, dig into the underlying issues at play, and quickly take action to create the conditions where teams can thrive.